Dawn of Liberty
by Justice Snake
Summary: The creation of Philanthropy through my eyes. Set between post MGS1 and 2006. R
1. Prologue: The Philanthropist

**Dawn of Liberty**

Prologue: The philanthropist

**UNDISCLOSED LOCATION, USA**

**-One month after the Shadow Moses incident... **

**D**avid awoke with a start to a ringing sensation in his ear. Trying to reorient himself, he leans over to his bedside table and looks at the digital alarm clock. _4:23 AM! _"What the hell?" whispered David, "My Codec?" As he moved to the edge of his bed he looked over his shoulder to see Meryl, Colonel Campbell's daughter, still sound asleep. Her calm and gentle breathing made David want to close his eyes and drift off again. _Never in a thousand years did I ever think I'd meet someone like her_, David admitted to himself.

He put his hand on the right side of his neck and listened.

"Snake, this is Otacon. Can you hear me?"

_Otacon? _Thought David, then answered, "Hal is that you?"

"Snake! Thank God," Responded Hal Emmerich, the young engineer from Shadow Moses.

**_Shadow Moses. _**The thought of that name sent shivers up David's spine as his mind began to flood with memories that he had long desired forgotten. Looking at Meryl's calm expression calmed his anguish and nullified the fact that they had been subjected to so much pain over there. Her passive emotions disguise the moral wounds that have been engraved into her mind. David stroked her forehead and brushed some of her long, red-haired bangs away from her face and looked at her left arm that still bore the scar from their encounter with Sniper Wolf.

"How did you find us?" asked David.

"Well, after I was picked up at Shadow Moses I went to England and eventually I was given a satellite image of your guys' last position and Bingo."

"Ah," Replied a still drowsy David, "So why have you decided to find me?"

"It's about Ocelot…"

"Hmm," mumbled David looking back at Meryl. Memories again flooded back to him as he wondered what happened to her when she was being tortured by that sadistic maniac known as Revolver Ocelot. Snake then turned his attention back to Otacon.

"Remember when president Baker gave you that optical disk?" Asked Hal.

"Yeah, but Ocelot took it from me back in Alaska. Why?"

"Well. Ever since you left, Ocelot's been selling the data worldwide to the highest bidders resulting in multiple countries starting their own Metal Gear programs."

"What?" spat David

"It's true…" Hal sadly confirmed

"Damn…" sighed David.

The slender hand of a woman laid rest on Snake's shoulder. Meryl was awake and was listening intently, "Snake?" she quietly asked. David turned to face his new devotee, looked into her lovely brown eyes and put his hand on hers, "It's Ocelot. He's…" Meryl let out a sigh, "Yeah, I herd."

Otacon then interrupted, "Ever since I discovered the terrorists intentions with Rex, I have vowed to destroy all Metal Gears that come to fruition. I want to help people but I can't do it alone. Snake, will you help me in this _Philanthropy_?" David looked over to his sneaking suit hanging in the closet then peered once again into Meryl's beautiful avid eyes,

"Where do we meet?"


	2. Bringer of Good Tidings

**Chapter I: Bringer of good tidings**

**December 25th, 2005**

**Long Island, New York- 0304 hrs EST**

** S**olid Snake sat uncomfortably in a plastic work chair as he fumbled inside his pocket for his cigarettes. He let out a sigh of relief as he grasped the small package and withdrew the white, tobacco-stuffed cylinder from it. Freeing his Zippo from his pocket, Snake struck the flint, ignited the butane and pressed the open end of the cigarette to the small flame. Hal Emmerich walked into the small open room where there was only Snake, a whiteboard, a table, and a computer with a projector hooked up to it. Hal looked disapprovingly towards Snake and asked, "How does Meryl put up with your habits?"

"She doesn't" Snake replied a sarcastic chuckle, "I'm outside most of the time," Hal let out an amused laugh, "I guess we all know who's in charge of that relationship huh, Snake?"

"Shut up, Hal." Snake said jokingly. Otacon was still laughing, "Okay, Snake calm down. By the way where is she?"

"Back at the apartment," answered Snake, "I guess we're staying for good." Hal nodded then cleared his throat as he walked over in front of the table, "Right, now listen up." The sudden sternness in Otacon's voice surprised even Snake as the programmer pushed documents and photos from his side of the table over to Snake's. "As you know, information about Rex's successful test data has been leaked to the international community, therefore many countries and organizations have each started their own Metal Gear projects."

"Yeah, I know," asserted Snake, "But which countries are we talking here?" Otacon picked up a list sitting in front of him and said, "Well, almost every continent has at least one country with it's own project; Great Britain, in collaboration with the rest of the European Union, among other friendly countries"

"Any unfriendly ones?" queried Snake.

"That's why we're here," replied Otacon. Walking over to the projector, Hal turned it on and sat at the computer console. The machine came to life and illuminated the wall to Snake's left. A picture of the Mediterranean and the Middle East replaced the dull white. "Snake," said Otacon, "this is the United Arab States consisting of Egypt, Syria, and Yemen. Although the UAS was not a direct threat to the West, the development of a Metal Gear in the Arab States would most likely provoke an arms race in the Middle East."

"I thought that the UAS was disbanded in 1961," asked Snake. Otacon fixed his spectacles on his nose and said, "Yes, but they all remain connected behind all the political drama." Snake didn't seem surprised, "Hmm, how do we know that they are planning to build a Metal Gear?" Otacon pressed a button on his console and suddenly satellite pictures and data began to scroll across the highlighted wall. "Because it's already being built." Snake almost chocked on his own cigarette smoke as the realization hit him, "What! Does the president know about this?" Otacon shook his head, "He knows but it's not his business,"

Snake focused on the satellite pictures of military convoys headed towards a large group of installations. _What the Hell is it called this time? _Wondered Snake. Almost as if he could read minds Hal answered Snake's mental question, "It's called Hajj. Metal Gear Hajj. Named after the Muslim religious pilgrimage to Mecca during Dhu'l Hijja. Islam sees Hajj as an objective in every Muslim's life."

"I thought that Hajj was only in Saudi Arabia." replied Snake. Otacon scratched his head and said, "That's what I was wondering, however I wasn't able to find out why."

"Any idea on who's heading the project?"

"Major General Abu Mazzar of the Egyptian military. He heads the facility known as **Sector Ma'had 31**" Answered Hal as a picture of the older general appeared on the wall with various information; age, blood type, height, weight, former operations, and country of origin.

"Why would the former UAS want a Metal Gear? Deterrence against Israel?" queried Snake. Hal spun his chair around and leaned forward to support his weight on his elbows on the table, "That's what you're going to find out."

David's expression did not change as Hal continued, "Snake, your flight to Cairo is in seven hours so I suggest that you get your affairs in order"

**January 1st 2006 **

**Cairo International Airport, Egypt - 1800 hrs UTC**

Snake stood alone in the middle of the Cairo International Airport when the cell phone that Hal gave him rang. Snake took it out of his pocket, hit the _talk _button and pressed the phone to his ear, "Happy New Year, David" said a familiar voice.

Snake replied, "David?"

Otacon's voice rang through the receiver, "I forgot to tell you. You're a tourist now, so we have to act legit, which is also the reason why you couldn't bring your sneaking suit or any of your weapons on this flight. Not that you had any to begin with."

Snake rolled his eyes, _all too familiar. _"Weapons and equipment OSP?"

"Right" answered Otacon, "And that cell phone you have is only temporary as our nanocomms are out of range."

David shrugged, "But I can't go on with this thing blaring in my pocket." Hal then said, "Right, that's why I'm waiting for a Russian military satellite to pass over in about 4 hours and relay my Codec to yours, until then, don't lose that phone."

"Gotcha," answered David. Hal continued, "Oh and another thing S…err-David…"

"Yeah?"

"I have also arranged for a contact to meet you at the train depot"

David seemed unhappy, "I thought we were alone on this Hal,"

"Don't worry, he's secretly from the UN and he is a field equipment specialist who works at the facility. He'll be able to help you." David sat down at an isolated bench in the terminal and said, "If the UN is involved then why the Hell am I here?"

Otacon replied, "He is going to help us get international support for Philanthropy through the UN. Don't wave him off just yet. Anyway, he didn't give his real name but he answers to the name Basir, which means _bringer of good tidings_."

"Let's hope so," replied Snake. "Also," added Otacon, "When you see him you must say, 'Let the joyous news be spread…'"

"For the Wicked Witch at last is dead." Responded Snake.

"Exactly."

"How will I find him?" Asked David.

"You'll know. Trust me on this."

"Alright. Talk to you later Otacon."

David closed the phone and rose from his seat. Reaching into his pocket, Snake pulled out his wallet and sifted through his new identity papers, _David Iserhof; Journalist for the New York Times. _David couldn't help but chuckle under his breathe at the new "name." Snake grabbed his single duffle bag and headed for the door.

Once outside, Snake scanned the area. Cairo was fairly busy this time of day. Lots of people, any one of them could be involved with Hajj. Then something caught Snake's eye. A young, Arabic man standing next to a beat up yellow taxi was standing with a large sign portraying the name **David Iserhof **in bright blue letters. _Hm_, thought Snake. _At least I don't have to worry about finding this guy_.David calmly walked up to the man. Basir sported a pair of tanned cargo pants and a yellow Hawaiian shirtHis eyes were covered by a pair of aviator sun glasses. Snake came to a stop 5 feet in front of the man and said, "Let the joyous news be spread…" The man smiled, "For the Wicked Witch at last is dead." Basir's English was surprisingly fluent, even his accent is right on. Basir stored the sign and extended his hand , "Right on time, Solid Snake." Snake hesitated. He did not fully trust this Basir fellow, but his mission depends on his trust. David took Basir's hand and shook. Both grips tightened, but Snake's was superior and Basir quickly broke off. "Yes you are definitely as Hal said: Brutish and untrusting…" Basir smelled the air around him, "…and a smoker too?" Snake sighed, "Let's not start this. Okay?"

"Alright," said Basir as he opened the rusted yellow door of his taxi, "Get in, I'll brief you at a safer location." Snake entered the vehicle and Basir popped into the driver's seat and started the ignition. The yellow taxi, at first refused to come to life. After cursing in Egyptian, Basir kicked the floor and the car roared to life, spewing dark exhaust out of the worn muffler. The old taxi slowly, but surely took Snake and his new partner to their destination.


	3. Insertion Method

**Chapter 2: Insertion Method**

Nearly twenty minutes had passed by the time the car reached Basir's home. Once inside, Basir pulled out a large, water-proof case and opened it. "Your equipment and provisions came on a separate flight, thanks to your friend." Basir smiled. The young Egyptian began pulling out Snake's new-or rather old- battle dress: David's light gray sneaking suit, followed by an Egyptian B.D.U. and Kevlar body armor. Snake took up his Sneaking Suit, "This isn't mine…"

"Stripped down from winter protection to an indoor version. Reduces friction and is quieter." reported Basir. Snake stared disapprovingly at his suit. _Damn it Hal… _Basir continued on, "As for weapons, you have been given this…" Basir pulled out an assault rifle and dropped extra box magazines next to it. "This is an…" Snake cut him off before he could finish, "An Israeli Arms Galil MAR 840/614 mm. Complete with flashlight, folding stock, 2X zoom telescopic sight, and mounted silencer." Basir was speechless and watched as Snake took up the assault rifle and began clearing it, "Um, Yeah. Okay." Basir then pulled out a pair of handguns; One was an Israeli Arms .50 caliber Action Express Desert Eagle. The other; An Israeli Bul Impact Longslide with .45 caliber ACP rounds. "I recommend the Longslide, seeing as the ACP round is standard issue for the facility. The Eagle's ammo is not easily found at Facility 31." Snake solemnly looked down at the Desert Eagle, lost in memory…

"_Snake…shoot me Snake…"_

"_No!"_

"_My gun…I can't reach it…I promised I wouldn't slow you down…"_

Basir snapped his fingers in the air, "Snake? Snake!"

"Huh?" replied David as he was delivered to reality. Basir simply looked at him. "You all right?" Snake wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead.

"What's wrong?" asked a concerned Basir. David looked up, "It's nothing. Bad experiences with that gun. That's all." Basir did not bother to second guess Snake and said, "Moving on… I suggest you take the Bul." Snake complied. Next came Thermal goggles, a pair of binoculars, a 6" combat knife with shoulder mounted sheath, various Egyptian rations and…cigarettes! Snake's eyes widened as he gazed at his favorite brand of cancer sticks. "Where'd you get those?" asked Snake.

"They came with the package and a note." Basir answered as he handed the piece of paper to David. The note read:

GOOD LUCK.

Basir gave David a questioning look. Snake just smiled as he recognized the handwriting. Basir handed a small circular object to Snake. "Otacon enclosed this in the package as well. What is it?" he asked curiously. David took the object and studied it. Without a word Snake took his new battle dress and walked into the bathroom.

A little while later, Snake emerged from the lavatory, fully dressed. His gray sneaking suit was hidden under the Egyptian fatigues and Kevlar. Basir looked at Snake and said, "Looks cool and all, but something's missing…" Snake then pulled a long, slender black material from his pocket and tied it around his forehead. Basir studied this for a moment, "Perfect." commented an awestruck Basir. Snake grabbed the pistol and attached a silencer to it. Grasping one of the twelve round magazines, he slid it into place and holstered the pistol. He then picked up the Galil and slung it over his shoulder. "Remember," warned Basir, "use your ammunition sparingly. Sector 31 personnel are issued standard Russian 7.62 mm AK47 rifles. Galil Ammunition is very rare to come by and only high class security personnel are issued Galils." Snake looked at Basir with an odd glance. "Don't worry about me," He then pointed to his bandana, "Infinite ammo." Basir returned Snake's glance with a blanc expression. "…Never mind." said David before Basir could say anything. "What's the insertion method?"

Basir pulled out a large map of the Sinai peninsula in eastern Egypt and pointed to a southern coastal city of Sharm Ash Shaykh. "Sector 31 is located about 30 kilometers north of this city. A railway passes nearly three kilometers west of the facility." Said Basir as his finger traced a studded line passing by the encircled area that was Ma'had 31. "There is a military cargo train leaving for Sharm Ash tonight and will be dropping it's load off at the depot here." Basir pointed at a smaller circled section of the map, indicating the position of the station. "Otacon told me that infiltrating the train and the facility is up to you. But there will be a convoy delivering supplies and the remaining parts for Hajj after the train unloads. Smuggling yourself aboard one of those trucks will take you right into the base." The corner of Snake's flat lined mouth curled, "No problem. Where will you be?"

"I will be waiting for you at the smoking lounge outside the eastern courtyard of the facility." Basir pulled out another map. This time of the entire facility of Ma'had 31. "The entire parameter is fenced off and electrified with barbed wire, anti-personnel mines, and machine-gun-equipped guard towers at every corner"

"That it?" replies Snake. Basir looked shocked, "Also, Sector 31 implies a 'No mercy for intruders' policy."

"And there's the kicker." Sighed Snake. "One more thing, Snake…" added Basir. "Once inside the base, we will be able to communicate via nanocommunication. My frequency is 141.57."

"How did you get them?" asked Snake.

"Through my sources at the UN." Replied Basir. Snake did not question Basir's loyalty any further. "And what of Mazzar?" he asked.

"General Mazzar," said Basir, "will be inspecting the final preparations of Hajj. Most of the time, he is in the Officer's common room at the center of the complex." Basir pointed out a single building next to the court yard. "Among other buildings, there are several large hangars in which multiple segments of Hajj are assembled and tested. Tonight however, is Hajj's birth night as they are preparing to assemble and her for terrain testing."

"That doesn't leave us much time." Added Snake. Just then a high-pitched ringing arose from Snake's pair of jeans lying on the table. Snake retrieved the phone and opened it. "Yeah?" he asked into the phone. The recognizable voice of Hal Emmerich emerged from the ear piece, "I see you've made successful contact with Basir."

"How did you know?" asked Snake looking over at Basir sitting comfortably in a stuffed chair. "I've taken the liberty of installing a GPS (Global Positioning System) transmitter in your Kevlar." David did not reply. Otacon continued, "I've managed to create a temporary network of satellites around your position. That'll give me the ability to use burst transmissions and we'll be able to communicate via Codec."

"Good to hear." replied Snake.

"Anyway," said Hal, "That military train that Basir should have told you about is on its way and will not leave until dark. That is your best chance to board it. Once aboard, find a safe place to hide for the duration of the trip."

"'Kay." answered David. "What are my objectives?"

"First off," replied Otacon, "You must find and interrogate General Mazzar. Secondly, If the General's intentions prove unsound, you must destroy Hajj and any documents you find pertaining to its development."

"And what of Mazzar?" questioned Snake. "Do not eliminate him." warned Otacon, "Leak any information you find to me before you destroy it, so that I can relay that info to the UN and they'll decide what to do with him."

"Got it." said David. Otacon spoke once more, "Contact me once you're on the train."

"Right."

"And Snake…"

"Yeah, Otacon?"

"Good luck and Godspeed." Snake removed the phone from his ear and hit the _End _button.

Basir threw David a backpack with all of his extra equipment stored inside. "The map's in there too, if you get lost." said Basir with a questionable smile. Snake returned the smile and sat on a nearby chair across from Basir's and waited for nightfall.


	4. First Class

**Chapter 3: First class**

**1924 hrs UTC**

Snake slowly opened his eyes and saw Basir pacing in the background. "Ah," he said, "You're finally awake." Snake looked at his watch. He had been sleeping for almost an hour. He looked out the window to his left and saw the sun's last rays slowly descending into the horizon leaving a dull glow around the whole of Egypt. Snake got up and stretched as he said, "You ready to go?" Basir gave him an inquisitive look, "Only for the past twenty minutes. I could ask you the same question."

"Hmm," responded a fatigued Snake as he wiped the sleep from his eyes. "I didn't sleep on the plane. I hate flying."

"Really?" asked Basir, "I love it!" Snake couldn't help but chuckle at the younger man's enthusiasm. "Come with me, Snake." Basir motioned. "I'll drive you a fair distance to the station. Snake grabbed his supplies, rifle and all, and followed Basir to his hidden Jeep out back. "This'll get us there much quicker." smiled Basir. Snake looked at the Jeep and whistled, "Nice." as he hopped in the back. Basir put the key into the ignition and the Jeep roar to life instantly and purred gently as it waited to be shifted into gear.

**Cairo International Train Station, Egypt - 1931 hrs UTC**

Contrary to the ancient taxi, Basir's Jeep provided a very quick and easy ride to the station. Also contrary to the Cairo anti-speeding laws of 15 K/ph was the fact that Basir was not the world's best-or safest- driver to accommodate Snake on this most sensitive of missions. However, they were not spotted and the Jeep came to a smooth halt nearly two hundred meters from the tracks. Snake jumped off his ride and Basir threw him his pack and rifle. "Good luck, Snake." shouted Basir, "I'll see you in a couple hours." Basir kicked his Jeep into reverse and pulled a full 180 degree turn and shot off in the direction of his home.

Snake watched Basir speed away into the distance then turned around to see the well lit area he was about to intrude upon. The train itself could pass for one of the many freight trains passing through Cairo each day, however, this particular train was surrounded by at least an entire company of heavily armed soldiers with equally armed policemen guarding the gates and other entrances. Snake took out his binoculars and scanned deeper into the station's cargo area. Indeed there were large crates being carefully loaded onto the massive freight cars. _Hmm_, thought David. _Looks like this'll be harder than I thought._ That notion did not deter Snake as he scanned further down the tracks. Snake frowned as his assumption was correct: a pair of guards patrolling the portion of track in front of the train. _Damn_. Snake followed their routine with his binocs and learned that they scan about five hundred meters in front of the train, flashlights trained on the rails and the surrounding grounds before returning. _Might be enough time to crawl under the engine and make my way towards one of the freight cars_. Thought David to himself. The guards had just restarted their patrol. That was Snake's cue. Quickly and silently Snake sprints towards the train tracks.

David arrives at the bottom of the slope about twelve meters from the train and sixty meters from the guards walking away from him. Snake silently steps over the rails and scans around his position. Suddenly, Snake hears footsteps behind him. He turned around and saw that the patrolling soldiers were walking towards him, _Oh shit!_ Snake cursed in his mind. _They're cutting their patrol short!_ He had to think quickly, as his life depended on it. David looked for a solution. Firmly grasping his pistol's handle, Snake prepared to send God two more unlucky souls. Snake looked down and relaxed his rock-hard grip as he noticed several stones sprawled about. Snake picked up a fair sized one, roughly the size of his fist, and aimed. He reeled back and tossed the stone as hard and as far as he could. The conjoined piece of sedimentary minerals flew a perfect arc over the guards' heads and came into successful contact with one of the metal rails, producing a large "_ting_." As expected, the soldiers became started at the sudden break in the silence and turned around to train their rifles in the direction to the noise. Snake listened closely as the guards conversed in Arabic for a brief period before summing up the courage to investigate. Both soldiers focused their lights on the rails in front of them and around the area, away from Snake. Breathing a sigh of relief, David continued on.

The crawl under this half-mile-long train seemed to take forever. Snake was surprised that they hadn't finished loading up and shipping out yet. Oh well, the longer the better. After nearly seven minutes of crawling, Snake thought it safe to emerge from his eternal crawling. Snake poked his head out from under the car and scanned the area with his thermal goggles. No guards in sight. David slowly pulled himself out from under the train and turned the read the number on the car. D-7. _This'll do_, concluded Snake as he began to pull open the large door to nearly a foot of space and crawled into the dimly lit area. There was decent space between the large crates and Snake squeezed between them. Just then, Snake walked into something light and hollow in the partial darkness, he felt for it and discovered that it was an empty cardboard box labeled **Barrack Block 4.** David pulled the box over his body and was surprised that it covered him entirely. _Home sweet home_. Snake chuckled to himself as he drifted to sleep again.

Thoughts of Meryl and the longing to be reunited with her again filled David's mind as the train began to pull away from Cairo.


	5. Moonlight Sonata

**Author's Note:**This is a quick chapter to remind us of Snake's "sensitive" side. (Boring, I know, but necessary.) Thanks for the reveiws (so far) and I feel that this story may actualy have an end to it! lol. I dedicate this chapter to anyone who's into the Snake&Meryl story. Therefore, I bring you...

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 4: Moonlight Sonata**

_Revolver Ocelot leveled his Colt Single Action Army to Snake's forehead. "We're going to play a little game, Solid Snake. Can you take one more?" David could do nothing. His limbs were bound and he was laying in an upright position on a retractable metal platform. Ocelot continued, "Remember, if you win, then your woman lives. However, should prove unsuccessful, the girl's life is mine. There are no continues my friend." _

_Snake braced himself as millions of charged volts coursed through his body. Just then, everything around him crumbled and was reduced to flame. Out of the inferno came a tall, malevolent figure. Liquid Snake walked up to his hapless brother. From behind him, Liquid dragged out an unconscious Meryl and with superhuman strength raised her by her slender neck. "Meryl!" shouted David. Liquid's voice echoed through David's skull as Liquid leveled his rifle to her head, "Now, my brother, you will have to bare with this woman's death on your conscience!"_

"_No!" shouted an angst-ridden Snake. _

_"See you in Hell!" Liquid fired and everything turned bright white._

**Suez, Egypt. 2201 hrs UTC**

"Liquid!" shouted David as sprung back into reality. He was breathing hard and sweat was beading down is forehead and collecting into his bandanna. The train rocked gently from side to side as Snake sat up and removed the cardboard box from over his head. The entire car was filled with the eerie, yet beautiful white light of a full moon. Snake walked over to the open door facing South and sat down. The moon was directly above him, watching his every move. Somehow, David felt secure with this gigantic rock staring at him. He closed his eyes and wiped the sweat from his face and removed his bandanna. It was then that Snake noticed that his phone was ringing. He dug it out of his pocket and opened the receiver. "Hello? Snake?" said a voice that did not belong to Hal, "Is that you?" her voice brought an instant feeling of warmth to David's heart and calmed his nerve. "Meryl?" he responded with a curious tone. Meryl's voice answered, "Where-I mean- How are you holding up?"

"It could be worse." chuckled Snake as he looked at his surroundings. "It's a beautiful night."

"What you thinking about?" she asked with her own curiosity.

"You." he answered subconsciously. Even though he couldn't see her, David knew she was smiling. Snake continued, embarrassed and trying to change the subject, "So, how did you get this number and where's Otacon?"

"He's sleeping, been up since 5 AM watching over you. I've never seen a man so committed to helping another…"

"He truly is a philanthropist." said Snake with truth to his words.

"I think he worries about you more than I do." laughed Meryl. Snake returned the her laugh.

"Don't worry. I'll come back to you. Soon."

"Don't take too long. Okay?" The innocence in her voice almost made David want to dive out of the train and run like Hell all the way back to New York. Back to her. Away from all this terror and pending death.

Snake noticed the "Low bat" signal on his phone turning red. "This phone about to die, Meryl. I can't talk for long."

"Okay," she said, "I love-" Her voice was cut off as every component in the phone expire with the draining of the battery cells. "Damn!" Snake cursed as he slammed his fist on to the wooden flooring. _I love you too_. He responded in his mind.

David sighed as his feet dangled out in the open and the ground passed him by ant 200 kilometers-per-hour. The moon lit up his face as he stared out to the open, shimmering waters of the Suezbukta gulf. David lifted his cell phone and held it out over the desert floor. He relaxed his grip and let the phone slide free and fall onto the beckoning sand. _This one's for you_, sighed David as the train began to turn Southward towards Hajj.


	6. The Road to Infinite

**Chapter 5: The Road to Infinite **

**January 2nd, 2006 **

**Military Supply Depot #71A, Egypt- 0107 hrs UTC**

The final hours of the trip passed by exceptionally fast. The decrease in speed gave Snake the warning he needed to prepare for his departure. Slowly, he peeked outside and saw that his particular car had came to a halt almost directly in front of the station. _Perfect_. Snake smiled at his luck.

Floodlights began shining on the area surrounding the train. _Oh, crap! _David cursed as a searchlight shone into his car. He quickly got out of view before the guards could draw any conclusions. Then voices could be heard. _Shit,_ _they're going to investigate_!

A pair of rifle-mounted flashlights entered Snake's hiding place. A single soldier climbed into the car and scanned around. Snake stood perfectly still. Hoping the guard won't see him. A beam of light shone directly on him. The light was blinding and Snake's heartbeat sped up. Then the light passed him over casually. The guard continued his search, but to no avail. A second guard's head emerged into the car. The two men conversed in a language Snake had yet to understand. _I wish I had a translator_. Thought David to himself. Guard number one shrugged his shoulders and slung his '47 around his shoulder as he walked to the opening and returned to his duties. Snake let out a sigh of relief and uncloaked himself. _Thanks, Hal . _Snake pinned his new tool close to his heart and crept to the open doorway.

Snake pulled out his Bul and lined up the spotlight directly in front of him. He pulled the trigger and felt the suppressed air rush past him as he sent a .45 caliber round directly into the light. The large bulb cracked and shattered as the artificial illumination died.

Almost all attention was briefly concentrated on the area that had once been an active searchlight and the soldiers chatted amongst themselves in Egyptian. Cradling his newly acquired box, David silently exited the train and kept to the shadows as he scanned the area for an available means of transportation. Otherwise, he would have to walk the whole two kilometers to Ma'had 31 and on top of that, cut through the defensive parameter. Fortunately, Snake's luck had not run out yet. From under the train, Snake could see a line of two-and-a-half-ton trucks waiting to be loaded and sent base-ward. David pushed on his neck and tuned in to Otacon's frequency. "This is Snake. Do you read me Otacon?" Within a few seconds, Hal answered, "Snake? Good to hear your voice again."

"Same here. I've managed to reach the supply depot undetected…barely."

"What do you mean?" asked a concerned Otacon. "Well, let's just say, thanks for the camo." said Snake. Hal sounded amazed, "So you decided to use it, huh?"

"Yeah." replied Snake, "It saved my life."

"Good to hear." said Otacon. "Anyway. Satellite imaging tells me that there are supply trucks waiting outside."

"Yeah, 'Deuce-and-a-halves.'" Responded David. "It looks like they are getting ready to be loaded." Otacon appeared to be conversing with someone else on his side of the world, but Snake did not intrude. Otacon then came back online, "Sorry, Snake."

"Who was that just now?" Snake asked suspiciously. "You'll find out later." remarked Hal. David did not ask any further questions. Hal continued, "I suggest you find somewhere to hide until the trucks are finished loading, then you should snag a ride with one of them."

"You mean, smuggle myself in?"

"Right." responded Otacon. Snake studied the area further. "I'll talk to you later, Otacon." Snake signed off of his Codec and stood up. _Now comes the hard part: waiting for a ride._

**0143 hrs UTC**

The last deuces had just finished being loaded and were being lined up. A patient Snake-through the magic of optic camouflage- crept towards the last truck in line and crawled aboard its rear hatch. Once inside, David unfolded his box and placed it over himself. Snake watched as a pair of patrolling guards walked by and closed the steel hatch to the truck. One of the soldiers knocked on the side of the chassis and gave the driver a thumbs up. The truck's eight cylinder engine roared to life and a combustion of dark exhaust erupted from the twin exhaust ports above the truck's cabin. Slowly, but surely the deuce began to pull away from the station. David gazed at the ever shrinking depot before the truck rounded a bend and all was engulfed in darkness.

Shortly into the trip the deuce began to slow and Snake saw the light being given off from the facility behind him. The truck's shocks rumbled as it passed over from a dirt and gravel route, to a smoothly paved road. The downshifting engine roused Snake as the deuce made a few tight turns. Snake had successfully infiltrated the inner defenses of Ma'had 31. Next objective: To make successful contact with Basir.


	7. Keys to Unlocked Doors

**Chapter 6: Keys for Unlocked Doors**

The truck came to a sudden halt. Snake sat perfectly still and listened to his surroundings. The driver had vacated the deuce and walked around it. Snake observed the guard until he disappeared around a corner. No one else could be heard. David took this opportunity to remove his box-like disguise and peek around the side of the truck. All was silent in this early Egyptian morning. David could not risk carrying that box around any further. He had to leave it behind. Snake stepped out of the vehicle and took one last look at his favored disguise. "So long, my friend." said Snake sorrowfully to himself. He then jumped out of the truck bed and pressed his back against the nearby barrack building. There was no looking back now. Snake knelt down and thumbed his Codec. 141.57.

The ring tone echoed through his ear before Basir answered, "Snake? You're still alive I see. That's good. How was the trip?"

"I've had better." replied Snake. Basir continued, "Where are you right now?" Snake took a look around, "I'm beside a building of some sort. Barracks I think."

"What number?"

"The side has a giant 'Two' painted on it."

"Good. You're close by." responded Basir. "But first, you need a 'Level One' security card, also known as a PAN card get to where I am. It works with your body's own electric field to activate the door sensor. Once you approach the proper door, it will open automatically." _How many times had I heard that speech_, thought David. "Okay, where would I find a 'Level One' key?" he asked. "All security and maintenance staff carry a Level One or Two card, depending on their rank." said Basir, "A private will carry an L-One card while a Sergeant would carry L-Three and junior officers carry Fours." Basir paused. "Senior officers carry L-Fives or 'Master Cards' that will open all doors to the complex."

"Just like other keys can open doors below them as well." added Snake.

"That's right." replied Basir. "Do you see a large, one-story building to the southwest?"

"The one with all the large windows? Yeah." Snake confirmed.

"That is the Mess hall. And to the south of that is the outdoor Smoking Lounge. That is where I am." Snake studied the Mess hall as Basir talked on, "Acquire a card and meet me within half an hour, that is when my shift starts again."

"Okay, I'm on my way." Snake signed off and stood up. _Now to get that key card_. He thought. David pressed against the wall and crept towards the edge. Snake took a peek around the well-lit corner and quickly retreated. An Egyptian soldier, cradling his armed Kalashnikov advanced towards him. Thankfully, he did not see the weary Snake.

David engaged his optic camouflage and waited for the guard to pass him by. The soldier's shadow grew as he passed under the light post then, it stopped to lean against the building. The guard let out a long, fatigued yawn. _I know how you feel , buddy_ thought Snake sympathetically. David studied his options:

Kill the guard? No, too risky.

Hold him up? No, he might squeal.

Snake sat and pondered. _I could use a cigarette right about now._ Just then, a revelation arose within him. Snake fished out his package of Marlboro cigarettes and threw them on the ground in front of the guard. The impact of soft paper hitting the ground took the soldier's attention off of sleep as he leaned forward to study the object. The guards eyes widened as he triumphantly collected the godsend of American tobacco. As expected, fatigue got the best of him and the guard turned his back on Snake. Slowly and quietly, the invisible David snuck up to the smoking guard. A distorted arm curled its way around the Egyptian's neck and before he could scream, it tightened. The abrupt loss of blood oxygen to the brain quickly blacked the guard out and his 150 kilogram body went limp inside Snake's arms. Gently placing the sleeping Mohammed down against the wall, it looked as if he had simply dozed off. Snake collected the lit cigarette from the guard's open mouth and flicked out the burning embers. David searched his victim's uniform and finally came across what he was looking for; a small, translucent card labeled **Lv.1**. Snake stored the card in his breast pocket and stored his pack of Marlboros. David looked back at the unconscious Arab and said, "Sleep well buddy, cuz in a couple hours you're going to have the worst headache of your life." David ran as quickly and as silently as he could, shooting out street lights to make a dark path for him to cross the road undetected.

Once in front of the Mess hall, Snake knelt down and keyed his Codec. "Otacon. It's me."

"I see you've made it through."

"Yeah, it was easier than I thought…"

"Did you contact Basir?" asked Hal.

"Yeah," replied Snake, "I've also managed to find a security card."

"Really? How?" asked an inquisitive Otacon. Snake replied, "That's not important. But can you thank Meryl for me?"

"Sure…for what?"

"The cigarettes."

"Cigarettes? Are you smoking over there?" Hal asked in a disapproving voice.

"No. Not yet anyway." replied David.

"Anyway," said Otacon, "Find Basir and learn the General's location. Find Mazzar, interrogate him and find the source of the production information. I'll need you to establish a link through the nano machines, then I'll take over." Snake pondered for a moment. "How do I do that?" he asked. "Basir will give you a data disk. It contains a mini virus I designed, capable of logging on to any database and making a link from there to my PC." Otacon reassured Snake.

David stroked his shaven chin, "So all I have to do is insert the disk?"

"That's right."

"Okay, I'm on my way. Later, Otacon." Snake clicked off his Codec and straightened up. He approached the door and as he did, it hissed and slide open. Following suit came the follow-up lights. One by one, the ceiling modules lit up, showering the areas under them with a bright, unnatural illumination. As the light above him flickered to life, Snake dove across the floor and pressed against the hard plaster wall. The Mess hall was a very large, open aired space occupied only with clean table tops, chairs and a proper, polished cafeteria. A pair of soft drink and coffee dispensers occupied the far corner of the hall. Trash cans dotted the spaces between doors and at both ends of the cafe line. _Hm_, thought Snake, _garbage detail must be Hell over here_. David heard the crashing of heavy combat boots coming into contact with the hard tiled flooring. A curious voice came from around the corner, calling out in Egyptian. No one answered. A single, cautious soldier emerged from the kitchen. He looked in Snake's direction and approached. _Damn it!_ He cursed as the guard's proximity drew closer. As he was shifting silently along the walls, a stout panel jabbed David in the back. _A light switch?_ Pondered David. Snake side stepped and let the guard pass him by completely. The weary soldier pressed a gloved finger against the touch pad and the lights died at once. As the guard walked away, Snake drew his breath and exhaled with content. David noticed a doorway to his immediate left with a window leading outside. The door was also marked with a lit cigarette with a green circle surrounding it. _Smoking Lounge_. Concluded Snake as he stepped towards the door. It hissed and slide away to let Snake pass through.

Basir stood alone, pacing as if the end of his world was nigh. "Amazing how you can stand here for hours and not raise suspicion." said a cold, raspy voice. Basir jumped, but soon relaxed as he recognized the voice, "Where are you?" Basir turned around and bumped into the solid mass that was Snake. Basir stepped back and studied the figure, "You're better than I thought," he said, "Like the legend says."

"Legends don't keep people alive." responded Snake.

"But it sure as Hell kept you alive. You're a hero, man."

"The only heroes I know are either dead or in prison." David thought of his friend, who gave his life to save his. And Fox's sacrifice was not in vain…but was still hard to think about. David turned around to shield himself from Basir as a single tear rolled down his cheek. He gazed upward into the dark blue sky. _I know you're watching me up there, just look away if I fail_. "Hey, you still with me here?" asked a frustrated Basir. David lowered his head and said, "Where's the information network hub?" Basir tilted his head and smiled, "Closer than you think." Snake turned to face Basir as he stomped his foot on the ground. David looked at the ground and said, "Right below us?"

"Yep. An underground bunker complex. State-of-the-art heat sensitive security features that will pick up anything…" _Damn_. Thought Snake as Basir continued with his description, " Also, the super computers in the main control room are password protect and there are retinal scanners, complete with fingerprint analyzers that you must complete in order to even gain access to the bunker." are there any other modes of entry?" asked Snake. "Well, one option is to run in, guns blazing and getting yourself killed. Or you can locate the surface generator and shut it down. This will disable the artificial air generators and force a system override for all large vent covers to be opened." Snake pondered for a moment, "How large are the vents?"

"Large enough for you, trust me."

"Where exactly do they lead?" he asked

"The vents are scattered all over the complex," said Basir, "They all drop down about ten feet and lead to a network of individual vent tunnels. The vents should be wide enough for you." David considered this. "How do I find the generator?"  
"It's located over by the main power house about three hundred feet in that direction." Basir pointed over Snake's shoulder to the west. "It's the warehouse with all the solar panels on it and is never lit up during dark hours."  
"Okay, but first I need that disk that Otacon told me about." Basir pulled out an optical disk, "You mean this?" Snake took the disk and studied it. _Yeah, that's Hal's writing_.  
"What's it for?" asked a curious Basir, "Or are you not going to tell me?" Snake looked up and said, "Sorry kid." David stored the disk in his pocket. Basir frowned and pulled out a small box. Snake opened it and found a new pair of never-before-used night vision goggles. Snake put them on and flicked the switch; all that was dark was now illuminated in a pale green haze. "Thanks." said a grateful David. Basir's frown did not dissipate. Snake took out his package of Marlboros and his favorite Zippo and handed them to Basir. "Take them, you might need them someday."  
"I don't smoke."  
"Well, they saved my life once. They'll do the same for you." Basir took the package and lighter then forced a smile, "Thanks, I guess."

A loud hiss came from behind Basir. A solitary guard walked down the small staircase and walked towards him. Basir braced himself for Snake to open up on the approaching soldier, but noting came. He turned around and saw that Snake had gone. _What the hell? _The guard stopped in front of Basir, pulled a cigarette out of his breast pocket and asked if he had a light. Basir complied and lit up his newly acquired Zippo and pressed it against the sergeant's cigarette. _This could have been a different story had I not been given this lighter_. Cover is not something Basir wanted to be without, especially now. Silently, he thanked Snake. Basir's wristwatch beeped and he left the Mess hall for his shift at the assembly hangar. _Good luck, David_. This almost made him regret what he was about to do.


	8. Honor before Death

"_Everyone feels sick the first time they kill someone. However, like war, one grows to accept it." -_ Solid Snake

**Chapter 7: Honor before Death**

Snake dashed towards the power plant warehouse, his feet barely making full contact with the ground. He pressed his back against his targeted building and shifted to the southern corner, next to the Barrack building he had recently arrived from. He keyed his Codec. A high-pitched tune informed the mercenary that Hal was still with him. "Otacon, I've acquired the disk from Basir."

"Good job, Snake." replied the engineer.

"Also, I've just learned the location of the computer room." said Snake. Hal sounded impressed, "Really? How?"

"Got the tip from the kid." David replied, "I'm on my way to the power generator now."

"You going to cut off the Base's power supply?" asked an inquisitive Otacon.

"Close."

David sighed off and approached the large red door at the rear of the hangar. Snake shot out the overhead lamp and watched the sparks shower onto the pavement. Unfortunately, another Egyptian noticed the sudden lack of light and began to make his way over the door. _Damn it!_ thought David as he pressed his back to the well immersed in darkness, Snake was rendered nearly invisible without the camouflage and this took effect as the weary guard stood not but three feet away from Snake's chest. The soldier gave a shrug with his shoulders and concluded his search. David took advantage of this opportunity and lunged out at the unsuspecting guard. Snake quickly wrapped his arm around the guard's neck, too a step back and let his leg stick out to trip the guard. Using his full strength, David threw the guard as fast and as hard as he could, headfirst onto ground. The dust around the impact site settled and the soldier was knocked instantly out of consciousness. Snake picked up the downed soldier by the legs and dragged the limp corpse into the darkness from which they stood. Snake took the man's AK-47 assault rifle, activated the magazine release mechanism and pulled the thirty-round, banana-shaped box from the feeding ramp. Snake then pulled back the large chrome bolt and ejected the chambered 7.62 millimeter round. The single bullet fell and came into contact with the hard pavement.

The sudden silence was almost haunting to David as the entire complex of Ma'had 31 became deathly silent, almost as if the entire base had stopped to listen to the single drop of a casing. In acknowledgement to this theory, a trio of armed guards poured out of the hangar door. _Shit!_ cursed Snake as he drew his Longslide. David lined up the first soldier's hip-mounted radio and fired. The bullet collided with and passed clearly through the cheap plastic and metal box. Target One jumped as his rear was suddenly engulfed in pain, but before he could scream, Snake grabbed hold of him and wrapped a muscular arm around his neck. David held the guard close and aimed his pistol down to the second soldier's knee cap. Target Two had almost recovered from the ambush when he heard the sound of rushing air and sudden pain as his left kneecap took in a .45 caliber ACP round. T2 let out a loud whimper and fell forward as Snake put another silenced round through his neck. T2 began to squirm and gurgle as he tried desperately to stop the flow of blood. Target Three, being the last soldier out, stopped dead in his tacks and witnessed his comrade standing perfectly still with an arm around his neck while the other lay writhing in pain on the pavement. These were the last thoughts to traverse T3's mind before a hot piece of ballistic .45 caliber lead passed violently through it. T3 threw his head back and fell backwards with a dull thump into the ground to join his fallen comrades in the next life. As for Target One, Snake quickly jerked his arm and with a loud **_Snap_** T1's problems ended.

David threw down the body and reached out to pull T3's limp mass away from the door. He then remembered T2 and saw that he was still struggling for life on the ground, his dark beard now soaked in blood as the liquid began to spread in a dark pool around his head. His eyes, so petrified with fear and resent. Snake engaged his active camouflage and walked up to the man and knelt beside him. He pulled out a thick gauss-like material from his med pack and pressed it against the man's throat. The guard struggled with the pain, but did not resist Snake's administration. Perhaps he thought that David was a medic, and therefore did not put up a fight. _Smart man,_ thought David as he pulled out adhesive tape and wrapped it around the downed soldier's neck tightly enough to stop the blood, but not strangle him. In addition to this, Snake reached for a miniature morphine capsule, pulled off the syringe protection and jabbed it into the soldier's arm. The wounded guard struggled a bit before his muscles relaxed and the he drifted into a near-comatose state. Snake rolled the man's body over, just in case he regurgitated or swallowed his tongue. David stood up and walked towards the open hangar door.

Death has had too many visitor's this night, and Snake no longer intended to be the cause.


	9. In the Darkness of Ma'had 31

**Chapter 8: In the Darkness of Ma'had 31**

David did not know, or fully comprehend_ why_ he saved his opponent's life and he knew full well that the sentiments would not have been returned, had Snake been in the guard's position. All David knew was that a man, a fellow human being, was in need and Snake was not about to send another unlucky soul to Allah.

**Hangar 4, Sector Ma'had 31 power plant -0234 hrs UTC**

David slowly poked his head into the hangar and scanned around. _No guards. Odd._ Thought Snake as he tip toed into the darkened building. All of a sudden, a ringing sensation arose in Snake's ear. He knelt down and placed his hand on his neck.

"Snake? What happened?" asked Otacon.

David responded, "I don't know, they all rushed out and I had no choice but to fire."

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. A little shaken, but fine. It's almost as if they knew I was coming…" Snake paused for a moment, "where's Basir?"

Otacon replied, "I just made contact with him. He's in the **Hajj Assembly Hanger 1.**"

"Doing what?"

"Apparently, he's procuring an escape route for you. Why?"

"No reason." answered Snake

"You Don't think he…"

"I don't know, but I still don't fully trust him."

* * *

**January 2nd, 2006**

**Hajj Assembly Hangar 1 control room, Sector Ma'had 31 Military Research Facility, Egypt. -0235 hrs UTC **

Basir disengaged the hammer of his nine millimeter Beretta M9 from full cock, to safe. Indeed he did feel some resent to what he had just done. _Sacrifices must be made for the long-term good of the country,_ he thought to himself. The price of freedom for the country that he loves will not be cheap, but he would rather pay the tab with the lives of his trusting comrades or his own rather than paying with the blood of his home county's children. Yes, he regretted taking the sergeant's life, but there was no other way Basir could continue his mission without the sergeant's card and uniform. Slowly, he picked up the heavier man's body and hid it in his locker. As he was doing so, a sudden ringing echoed in his ear. "Damn it." cursed Basir as he knelt down and pressed his fingers against his neck.

"Basir. Do you read me?" it was Snake. Basir looked at the Zippo that the larger man gave him, "Yeah, it's me. What is it?"

"Can you tell me about the base's alert status?"

"Security is relaxed and no alarms have gone off yet. Why? What'd you do?"

"Nothing, forget about it."

"No. I said, what did you do?"

"And I said forget about it. But the reason I called is because I need to know which generator to shut down, otherwise I'm going to cut off the entire complex."

* * *

There was a brief pause on Basir's side of the transition. Seconds later, "I'm sorry Snake, I can't remember which one." David let out an aggravated grunt. Basir continued, "Looks like you have to shut them all down. There's a master switch up in the hangar's control room. I advise that you head up there." Snake opened his mouth to speak, but a low whizzing sound told Snake that Basir had signed off.

"Damn kid!" cursed David as he rose from behind his hiding spot. Snake tried again, in vain, to contact Basir, but there was no reply. David finally gave up and studied the hangar. His eyes followed a winding staircase up to a small booth that fit Basir's description. Snake took a deep breath and pressed on the devise that Hal gave him. A mirror of distorted projections shrouded Snake and the film coating engulfed every inch of his body, rendering him completely transparent. David did not waste any time as he glided across the cement flooring towards the staircase. The dim ceiling lights flickered on and off, begging to be replaced. Snake answered their pleads with a silenced Bul round into each of them. David approached the metallic stairs and begun to quietly ascend them. Like the shadow he was, Snake crept up to the door and placed his hand on the know and slowly twisted. With a light squeak and a loud click, but door became separated from its frame and lightly swung inward. Snake poked the business end of his Galil into the open crack and lightly stepped into the small, dark room. Empty as night. David lowered his rifle and walked to the center of the control room. To his right was a large panel, sporting a wide variety of intermingled buttons and knobs, with one giant switch at the center. The rest of the room was populated by a trio of lockers, posters, and some scattered chairs. David slowly approached the master switch, just then, the silence was interrupted by another high pitched ring tone in his ear.

"Snake, there's the master control." It was Otacon. "To activate it, simply stand in front of it and press the ACTION button, located underneath the switch to over-ride the safety lock…" Snake rolled his eyes and cut Hal off,

"Then pull the switch back to shut down the power grid. Got it." Snake cut the transmission and pressed on the large red button underneath the switch. With a loud click, the safety was then disengaged. David placed a gloved hand onto the large metal bar and tightened his grip as he pulled it down to the off position. As it happened the entire complex was shrouded in blackness and the emergency lights flickered on. A small computer screen lit up next to Snake and data began to scroll by:

Hajj production halted. Pending activation

SET production halted. Pending activation

Power grids in sector 1 status: disabled

Power grids in sector 2 status: disabled

Power grids in sector 3 status: disabled

Power grids in sector 4 status: disabled

Emergency venting status: enabled

_What the Hell? _asked Snake, _SET?_ Once again, David was not being told every thing. A unique ring-tone echoed inside David's ear. Snake knelt down and placed his hand on his neck. "Snake," said Otacon, "I'm detecting a massive power failure in Ma'had 31. Was that you?"

"Yeah," answered David, "But there's something else here…" Snake continued to study the data screen.

"What's that?" asked an inquisitive Otacon.

"There is something else on this screen: 'SET production halted.' What do you know about it?" Hal answered, "Nothing, I'm afraid. I'm going to ask Basir…"

"Tried that already. The kid's not picking up."

"Do you think they caught him?" asked a Hal with concern in his voice.

"I doubt it, I think he's working for them."

"Don't say that." demanded Otacon.

"We can't rule out that possibility!" snapped Snake.

"Snake, if he was working against you, he would have killed you by now." Otacon shot back.

"…" Snake did not want to endanger his mission by yelling at Otacon. "I'm on my way to the vents now. Hang tight, Hal." David signed off and left the room.

The vents were a lot larger than Snake first perceived them to be. Nearly 6 feet on all four sides, and with enough space for at least two of him to slip in. David grasped the side railing and threw his legs over and into the gaping hole. Snake flipped on his NV goggles and looked around the bottom whilst hanging one-handed. _Ten feet, at least._

David took a deep breath and relinquished his hold.


	10. Beneath Cold Feet

**_Author's Note:_** _Wow. It's been a while since I've updated this thing! I quickly typed up a chapter to add tension and to rekindle this story. (that everyone has forgotten. lol) Ah well, I hastily present:_

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 9: Beneath Cold Feet**

**Ma'had 31 command bunker**

**-0250 hrs UTC**

Snake fell with a loud **Clang** as his heavy boots came into contact with the aluminum floor. A cold wind swept down to accompany the lone warrior as he began to crawl into the small duct. As he snaked through the lean tunnel, Snake soon discovered that his path came to a sudden halt. _Ah Hell… _

David was soon faced with a decision: Left or right?

_When in doubt, choose right. _Snake decided to go with his seasoned instincts and follow the right-handed passage.

**Ma'had 31 command bunker**

**Parcel Room**

**-0254 hrs UTC**

It seemed almost as if the vents were getting smaller and with each passing meter, David thanked God for not being claustrophobic. This brief moment of silence was obstructed by a familiar ringing sensation in David's ear. "Hey, Snake?"

It was Hal. "Are you inside the bunker yet?"

"Yeah," replied the constricted commando, "the entire place is still pitched black."

"You'll have to make do, Snake." said a solemn Otacon. "I'm sorry, there's not much I can do from here."

"Yeah, I know." said David.

"But I'll tell you what I can do." said Otacon with a sudden burst of energy, "The only other vent opening is in the bathroom to the north. Crawl there and you'll be able to get out."

This information was not the best Hal had ever given him, but Snake welcomed it as if it were a rare gift. "Anything to get out of this bloody vent." was his reply.

"Talk to you later, Otacon." Snake signed off.

* * *

**Ma'had 31 command bunker**

**Bathroom**

**-0307 hrs UTC**

The entire underground was still drenched in darkness. Snake slowly, and quietly crawled towards the vent grate. David studied the frame with his fingers and felt for weaknesses. His NV goggles lacked the focus he needed to conduct a proper search. Snake scratched around the edge of the frame and felt the dust particles raining off the scratched surfaces. The frame of the grate was plastered down with a rubbery substance like the stuffoften found on the edges of _Western _buildings. Snake smiled as he reached to his left breast and drew his black knife. The mercenary traced the knife along the edge of the frame and applied pressure. Before David finished his cut, he inserted his gloved fingers through the grate and pushed.

Without a single sound the cover slide free of its concrete frame.

Snake set the metal cover onto the ground and pulled himself out of the two-foot-wide tunnel.

As David straightened himself up, the lights flickered on…. "**Freeze**!"

* * *

**_Author's Note:_** _Yeah, thats was VERY short, but I liked writing it. Stay tooned, cuz I might just continue this thing_


End file.
